The Changeling: The Legend of Iski Flare, #9

By Georgina Makalani

Reminded of what they have lost, Iski and Flare search the forests with desperation and the help of old friends.

 

As the faeries work against them, and they learn just how much they have sacrificed for the forest, darkness works its way through the trees. They are not the only ones searching for what is lost, and the faeries bicker amongst themselves in fear of the shadows.

 

Can they find what they seek before the shadows do, and the magic of the forest is lost?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Georgina Makalani
• Release date: Feb 1, 2022
• ISBN: 9780645034684

Book preview

Iski’s heart ached watching Flare run in and out of trees around their camp. He understood her desperation, but he couldn’t work out how to help her. They were deep in the forest, one he didn’t think he had visited before, but where they had arrived when they left the circus.

Flare had cried herself to sleep that first night, and he had tried to stay strong for her, waiting until she was lost to a deep sleep before he had allowed his own tears to fall. And then the anxious search began. They had no idea where to start or how to reach the faeries to find an answer. Iski doubted that they would give one, if they could be found, at least not one they would be happy with.

Flare stepped from a tree, her face flushed, and she staggered forward. Iski reached for her but she shook him off, stepping across the small clearing and towards another trunk.

You need to eat, he called after her, Nudge offering a whinnying agreement. She shook her head and stepped into the tree.

He had longed to see her magic returned, but it made him nervous as he watched her disappear so readily. He had felt a fear he couldn’t explain when she stepped through the first tree as the sun started to light the sky above the branches, the morning after they had been reminded of the truth. To his relief, she had returned, although some time later.

Now the magic was taking its toll. After days of pushing her way to faraway forests and back, taking little time to sleep, eat and rest, he feared she might collapse too far away for him to reach her.

He wasn’t even sure what she did in those faraway places; if she walked around some of the trees she left or simply looked out into the forest. He wanted to join her, and he could of as they both had the skill. They had even moved Nudge through the trees when they left the circus, although she wasn’t very pleased with the journey. Flare assured him she needed an anchor, a marker of where to return to. He had simply nodded and watched her disappear.

He sighed watching the tree she had just stepped through, wondering how long until he saw her again, when she reappeared from the same tree, a hand in hers and he jumped to his feet. It wasn’t a child’s hand and he felt his jaw drop open as he stood to face Mirabel, her hand still held tightly in Flare’s as though she might run away.

Flare stumbled forward and he only just managed to catch her. Lowering her carefully to the ground, he held her close in his arms; in some ways trying to stop her leaving again. Mirabel stood over them and then squatted down and rested her hand on his shoulder.

She needs rest, she murmured, trying to loosen his grip. 

He shook his head. There wouldn’t be the opportunity to rest until they found the child, or at least Flare found the child and he didn’t know how that would work.

Why am I here? Mirabel asked.

The last child, Flare murmured.

Iski looked closely at the beautiful woman before him, her dark hair hung about her shoulders, her familiar dark eyes were focused only on him. How long ago had he tried to convince her to help, when she was the only hope of finding lost children? If he hadn’t been holding Flare so tightly, he would have jumped to his feet and taken her in his arms.

What do you need? Mirabel asked. You did so much for me, she said, her intense gaze moving back to Flare.

I wasn’t sure you were appreciative at the time, Iski said, trying to drag his eyes away from her. Things might have been very different if he had stayed with her.

I’m glad you found her, she said, flexing the hand that Flare had held so tightly. Only I don’t understand why she would look for me.

Flare murmured something he couldn’t hear and he stretched for the bedroll, which was just out of reach. Mirabel pulled it closer for him and smoothed it out, and he laid Flare down. She was lost to sleep. He looked back at the woman Flare had dragged through the tree, had she been searching all that time for Mirabel, the last child?

We need help finding a child, he whispered, taking her arm and directing her across the clearing from Flare.

Just the one? she asked with a friendly smile. That shouldn’t be too difficult for you.

He ran his fingers through his hair and realised he still had hold of her arm with the other. He stepped back and scratched at his neck. This one is different, he said, trying to sound natural, unsure why he was suddenly nervous in her presence and how he might explain a child he didn’t know. She has red hair, he said, glancing back at Flare.

Your child, Mirabel said quickly, as though reading his thoughts and he nodded.

She was taken and we can’t find her.

Who took her? Mirabel asked seriously.

The faeries.

Mirabel’s eyes widened and then she took a step back. Took her?

He nodded. The faeries had helped the children of Hamlin, but he